Register-operating mechanism



June 26, 1923. 1,459,879 j.';J H. EGAN REGISTER OPERATING MECHANISMOriginal Filed Nov. 8, 1919 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 3 vweutoz June 26, 1923.1,459,879

J. H. EGAN REGISTER OPERATING MECHANISM Original Filed Nov. 8, 1919 2Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented June 26, 1923.

PATENT OFFMIE.

JAMES H. EGAN, F VENTNOR, NEW JERSEY.

REGISTEB OPERATING MECHANISM.

Original application filed November 8. 1919, Serial No. 336,648 Dividedand this application filed April 22, 1920, Serial No. 375,842.

. To all 107101724 2? may concern:

Be it known that I, JAMES H. citizen of the United States, resid. atVent-nor, in the county of Atlantic and Qtate of New Jersey, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Register-OperatingMechanism, of which the following is a specification. I

This application is a division of my allowed application S. N. 386,648i.lQCl Novemher 8, 1919 for a vending machine on which Patent #1,365,169, issued January 11, 1921.

Said application includes a coin separating device, a register operatingdevice, and a coin controlled device, and the present ap plicationrelates to the register operating mechanism.

The machine is of that type in which a check or token is delivered uponthe deposit of a particular coin, and is particularly use ful at sodafountains and other places where it is customary for the purchaser tobuy a check which is surrendered when the goods are delivered.

As disclosed in my said allowed application the machine includes a coinseparator which will separate coins of different values and direct thesame to diiierent runways at opposite sides of the machine. The detailsof the coin separator have been omitted from the present case which islimited to the register operating device, but it will be understood thatthe coin separator is used practically.

By means of the present invention ister is operated at each actuation ofside of the apparatus, the register being moved two steps when a 10check is de livered, and one step when a 5 check is delivered.

In the accompanying drawings Fig. 1 is a side elevation of the machine.Fig. 2 is a similar View with one of the side plates removed. Fig. 3 isa detail similar to Fig. 2 with the parts in different position. Fig. 4is a front elevation. Fig. 5 is a perspective of a tripping device.

The separating mechanism includes a casing 6 with an inlet slot on neck7 and by means of ribs one of which is indicated a (l coins of differentvalues are separatec, as described in said patent, and for delivery ofthe 5 and 10 checks respectively the machine is made double, that is, ithas two delivery mechanisms assembled on opposite a regeither Renewed.September 1, 1922. Serial No. 585,837.

sides of a single support. A ten cent check will be directed to onemechanism and a five cent checl: to the other, and the ten cent and livecent pieces respectively will be delivered in such manner as to producea single operation of said mechanisms respectively. Inasmuch as bothdelivery mechanisms are the same in construction, a description of onewill answer for both.

The central supporting member or plate of the delivery mechanism isindicated at 15 and it consists of a casting which stands edgewise andon top of which the separating case 6 is mounted At each side thissupporting plate has formed therein a runway 16, the upper end of whichis in line with the passage between ribs on the respective sides asdescribed in said patent, so that the 'ive and ten cent checks aredelivered by the separating device to the respective runways. In Fig. 2the runwayshown happens to he the iive cent runway. This runway leadsdownwardly, ith a bend, to a discharge outlet 17, from which the checkis delivered when the device is operated.

Rotatably mounted in a recess in the plate or frame 15 is a star wheel18, which turns on a pivot 19 by the weight of the checks. This starwheel has recesses 20 corresponding in size and shape to the runway 16and they act to stop a check in its passage down the runway, but whenthe wheel turns, the check is allowed to drop to the outlet opening 17.A finger 21 at the top of the runway, acts as a guide to deliver thechecks from the separating device into the runway. The runways 16 andwheels 18 are enclosed or covered by side plates 22, fastened to thesides of the middle plate 15.

The turn of each wheel is. controlled by an escapement, theseescapements being actuated respectively by the live and ten cent coins.Each escapement consists of an irregular lever 23, pivoted at 24 to theside of the plate 15. On one side, the lever has an offset finger orprojection 25, which is so located as to engage in front of one of theteeth of the star wheel as shown in Fig. 8, the extending end 26 of thelever acting as a weight to assist in dropping the lever to engagement.On the oppositeside the lever has a projecting linger 2-7 which projectsthrough a slot 28 in the side plate 22 and extends outwardly or sidewisea suificient distance to bring it in line with the slot outlet 12 at oneside of the separating device or the slot outlet 12 at the other side ofthe separating device. Obviously the outlet for the five cent piece willbe on the side having the five cent checks. iVhen the coin falls fromsaid outlet, it will strike the finger 27 and tilt the lever 23 to therelease position, as shown in Fig. 2, permitting the star wheelcontrolled thereby to turn and deliver the check.

The coin then drops into the casing (not shown), in which the machine isenclosed.

The lever 23 is also provided ith a cam finger or projection 28 which islocated in the line of movement of the points of the star wheel, and asthe wheel turns one of these points will engage said cam with a wipingaction and will then tilt the lever so that the finger 25 will catch thenext tooth in advance, as shown in Fig. 3 and thus stop further turn ofthe wheel until the escapement is again released by the deposit ofanother proper coin.

I also provide a register for indicating the number of operations. Thisregister is indicated at 30 and at each end its shaft 31 is providedwith a ratchet wheel 32, adapted to he engaged by hook 33 at the end ofa pawl 34, which is connected at its other end. by a pivot pin 35 to alever 36, which is pivoted at 37 to the supporting plate 15, and has afinger 38 projecting into position to be engaged by one of the teeth ofthe star wheel. When the wheel turns, the lever is rocked on its pivotand this pulls the pawl 34:, whose finger 33 engages a tooth of theratchet 32 and turns the register shaft. Af-

ter the pointof the star wheel passes the finger 38, as shown in Fig. 3,the lever 36 drops back and the pawl 34L rides up and drops over thenext tooth of the ratchet wheel for the next operation. The registercounts the number of operations in numbers of nickels, but as one sideis a ten cent operation, I arrange to turn the ratchet wheel two stepswhen that side is operated. This is done by making the pivot connecting35 of the pawl 3% at an outer point 35 on the lever 36. This increasesthe extent of the movement of the pawl 34: so that on the back slip itwill ride over two teeth of the ratchet 32' and so when operated willturn the register two steps. Hence, on the five cent side, the pawl 3 1,is connected to the lever 36 at thepoint 38, while on the ten cent sideit is connected to said lever at the point 35 In operation, theattendant will first load the machine by depositing a number of five andten cent tokens or checks in the slot 7. and the separating device willpass these tokens respectively to the runways 16 at the opposite sidesof the middle plate, where they will be caught and held by therespective star wheels. Assuming that the purchaser desires a five centcheck, he deposits a five cent piece in the slot 7. This will be guidedthrough the casing G in the manner above described and will bedischarged at the outlet 12 and will drop thence onto the finger 27,releasing the cscapen'ient in the manner above described and will bedischarged at the outlet 12 and will drop thence onto the finger 27,releasing the escapement in the manner above described and permittingthe star wheel to turn one step and deliver one check through theopening 17. The escapement, after one check is passed, will catch andstop the star wheel, the parts being reset "for the next ope 'ation It acustomer desires a ten cent check, the same operation will take placeexcept that the ten cent piece deposited will be delivered to theopposite side of the machine, from which a ten cent check will bedelivered.

t will be appreciated that the separating device could be used for theseparation of coins or the like independently of the delivery mechanism,but the two when combined form an apparatus which will be found veryuseful in selling live and ten cent articles or checks of differentvalues. It has the advantage that all the checks and coins are depositedin the same place, thus avoiding confusion and a duplication of machinesfor different values. The principles of the invention may be embodied inmachines of different types and no limitation in this respect is to beunderstood.

I claim:

1. The combination with duplicate delivery mechanisms each having aturning part and an escapement controlling the same, of a register, andmeans actuated by said turning parts respectively to operate theregister differently.

2. The combination with duplicate delivery mechanisms mounted side byside, of a single register having a shaft, and a pawl and ratchetmechanism at each end oi? the shaft, and means actuated by the deliverymechanisms respectively to operate the corresponding pawl. and ratchetmechanism.

The combination of a central supporting plate, duplicate deliverymechanisms supported at opposite sides of said plate, each mechanismhaving an article delivering turning part, a single register supportedat the edge of the plate, and said register having an operating deviceat each end thereof, and means actuated by the delivery mechanismsrespectively to operate the respective devices.

In testimony whereof, I aifix my signa ture.

JAMES H. EGAN.

Witnesses:

HARRY J. McGowan, BERNARD F. NIACATEE.

